Dramatic and Aesthetic Theory for Stage Designers

1 Unit · Graduate

Students will analyse big ideas of dramatic theory and aesthetic theory - concepts that have defined what is important about theatre and how it might be advanced as a form, as well as philosophical points of view concerning the beautiful, the ugly, and how we think about it - by investigating the work of thinkers within the theatre, and from the broader art-making world, from the mid 19th century to present day, considering their work in their historical context and in our present circumstances. By drawing synthetic conclusions from chronologically and philosophically incongruent sources, students will gain a more sophisticated understanding of current practice and will mature their own points of view as theatre artists. Students will read curated excerpts, lead and participate in discussion, and set forth analysis and opinion in Accountability Statements and Synthesis Papers, culminating in a Final Creative Project.